"If you don't know the blues... there's no point in picking up the guitar and playing rock and roll or any other form of popular music."–Keith Richards

He's got the blues

Born in Sweden to a jazz musician father, Anders Osborne became fascinated with the roots-rock singers of the sixties and seventies. He traveled the world, making money from shows, and then settled in New Orleans, where he's been since 1990. "Once I got to New Orleans, everything I heard in my head— the music, the way people treated each other— was happening. I knew I was home," says Osborne. He craftily blends blues, funk, soul, and classic R&B to create a unique texture of styles. Paste magazine calls him, "a triple threat as a singer, songwriter and instrumentalist." NPR Music says. "Osborne's music ranges from muddy backwater blues to upbeat country rock, and fills in many of the gaps in between." His show at The Jefferson will be opened up by Elby Brass, a Fredericksburg-grown street brass band specializing in heavy horn funk. It should be a lively set of performances not to be missed.June 29, The Jefferson, 8:30pm, $15-$17

OPENING ACTS

“It's a smile, it's a kiss, it's a sip of wine...it's summertime!” Have you ever thought, "There just isn't enough wine available on the Downtown Mall?" Well, there's a new opportunity to enjoy the best wine that Central Virginia has to offer.

On the last Friday of each month, about ten wineries from the Monticello Wine Trail will be featured to pour and sell their wines at the Old Metropolitan Hall on the Downtown Mall. Each participating winery will have two wines available for tasting, by-the-glass, or bottle sales. Live music will be provided downstairs by the Bent Mountain Trio, where purchased wine can be enjoyed. Tickets are sold at the door and include a souvenir tasting glass to add to your collection.This Friday's tasting will concentrate on the North side of Charlottesville. Wineries featured will be Blenheim Vineyards, Early Mountain Vineyards, Horton Vineyards, Reynard Florence, Burnley Vineyards, Keswick Vineyards, Kilaurwen Winery, Stone Mountain Vineyards, and Glass House Winery.June 28, Old Metropolitan Hall, 5pm, $12

Six rooms, one fundraiser

Join Live Arts, Lighthouse and Second Street Gallery this Saturday for a building-wide event that has a maze of attractions to last all night.You won't need to leave this party, because there are endless amusements: On the rooftop, at Brews with a View, you can enjoy Blue Mountain Brewery and Blue Mountain Barrel House beers while listening to live performances from Erin and the Wildfire, Moby and the Dicks, and Trafalgar. One floor down is the Karaoke Room where you can sing your heart out in the upstage theater. There's going to be a full bar and black lights to get you in the singing mood. Walk down another floor and you get wine tasting with cheese platters and Jazz music. A "Silent Disco" will be on the main floor, featuring two different DJs. Also on the main floor will be The Mud Lounge with coffee, cocktails, and cinema.Outside the building, Charlottesville's local food trucks will be waiting to serve you the finest street eatables in town. Seriously, this is going to be crazy.June 29, Live Arts, 8pm, $50

Laugh till it hurtsNow, you have to admit it: we sometimes take our award-winning town a little too seriously. Well, the folks over at The Bridge have a remedy for that: an original show of improv comic sketches about life here in Charlottesville that promises to be "skewed and skewering" and make you "laugh till you spit out your craft-brewed beer." Emily Bolecek, Ben Meguira, Jude Silveira, Jigsaw Jones, Amy Spence, Mickey Kampsen, Shawn Hirabayashi, and Victor Schillerman work under the direction of Big Blue Door co-founder and playwright Joel Jones.June 27 & 28, The Bridge, 8pm, $5 suggested donation

THE LIST

We're Bored!

Stuff to do with kids.

Family Film Fridays

Jefferson Madison Regional Library is screening free movies on Fridays during the summer so you can escape from the heat and relax with your family. This week’s showing is the animated Disney Pixar movie, A Bug's Life. This is the story of a misfit ant named Flik who must save his colony from an army of grasshoppers. All ages are welcome and you can bring a beach towel or blanket to get comfy. Popcorn will be provided.Friday, June 28 at 2pm at Gordon Avenue Library. 434-296-5544. Free.

Jack & The Beanstalk

Missoula Children's Theatre is coming to Charlottesville with a team of professional actors and directors. They’ve got all the scenery, costumes, props, make-up, and basic lighting to put on a play. The only thing they don’t have is the cast. Auditions for grades 1-12 will be held, and then the kids rehearse throughout the week, learning lines, songs, and choreography. Pre-registration for participation is required, and the cast still has space in all age groups. Go to www.mctinc.org for more information.Saturday, June 29 at 2pm and 5pm at The Paramount. 434-979-1992. $5-$10

Charlottesvillians Swim Free! This Saturday only, Washington Park Pool is offering a free evening of swimming with proof of city residency. You can show your VA driver's license, power bill, Charlottesville City school student ID or report card. Non-residents may participate at the non-resident fee, which ranges from $2-$11.Saturday, June 29 at 5:30pm at Washington Park. 434-977-2607. Free.

6/27Film: His Girl Friday. Vinegar Hill Theater. 7:30pm. $7.50-$10.50Film: An Original Duckumentary, a Production of Coneflower Productions and THIRTEEN in association with WNET. JMRL Central Library. 7pm. Free.Art: Unfinished Stories, photographs by John Mitchell. Angelo. 11am. Free.Fashion: An Evening of Eileen Fisher at Belk. 5pm. Free.

6/27Gary Allan at the nTelos Wireless Pavilion. $36-$56Jacob Paul Allen at Wild WolfThe Sterling String Band at Fellini's #9Loose Change at Blue Moon DinerJake and the Burtones, Red and the Romantics at Magnolia HouseGalaxy Dynamite at Rapture/R2iRon Lion and The Cville All Starz Band, "Ras" Greg Ward at Main Street AnnexEric Reitz at Carter Mountain

6/28Bennie Dodd at Wild WolfDwight Howard Johnson, Challenger, Weird Mob at The Southern. $8-$20Adrian Duke at Fellini's #9Acme Swing Mfg. Co., Red and the Romantics at Fridays After FiveWhite Laces, Gross Ghost, Left and Right at Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar. $5The Sweater Set at Blue Moon DinerLowland Hum at The GarageSuperunknown at Rapture/R2DJ Buck Wild at Main Street AnnexMichael DeLalla at Wayne Theater in Waynesboro

6/29Cashless Society at Wild WolfSecond Draw at Plank Road ExchangeThe Sally Rose Band, Sarah White and Josephine, Bobby St. Ours and Holy Bear at The Southern. $8-$10The Robert Jospe Experience at Fellini's #9Cutmaster Chop at Rapture/R2Southern Company at Heritage on Main